Debris-free device for protection of footwear and wearer from exposure to unwanted materials

ABSTRACT

A debris-free device is described to protect the insides of footwear from invasive ingress of unwanted extraneous matter, such as particles, debris and fluids, in order to preserve the feet of the wearer and the inner linings and insoles of the footwear. A cover guard is disclosed made from a chosen material fabric and fastened and sealed using simple means such as elastic, Velcro and a button. The cover prevents dust, dirt, water droplets, sand, filings, wood-shavings etc. from entering and attaching to the inner linings of footwear, causing discomfort to the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention/device relates to prevent a wearer of enclosed footwear from suffering from the introduction of debris and foreign objects. In particular, the invention serves the objective to protect a wearer from dust, plant matter and small particles to enter his or her boots, whether engaged in an indoor or outdoor activity, and also relates to a method for quick and easy removal from the footwear to wear and without removing this footwear.

One objective is to protect, for example, the wearer's socks and footwear lining from dirt, powder cement, wood chips, saw dust, cut grass, hazardous material and etc. during activities such as construction, logging or gardening, etc.

A further objective is to protect the inside of footwear from scattering debris or splashing oil, when hiking or biking respectively.

Similar protection is needed against swamp, bog, marshland walking, insects, small reptiles or other creatures, mud, sandy soil, fluid asphalt puddles or even rainwater.

It is a further objective of the invention to provide a system that is cheap to produce and distribute, may be easily and simply carried and stored (in pockets), worn/fastened and removed without the hassle of removing boots.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many activities and situations in which humans engage involve messy surroundings and may cause dispersion of particles, debris and even fluids into the space surrounding the feet and footwear of the person engaged in the activity. These various substrates may then invade the footwear of the wearer, causing great inconvenience, physical discomfort, annoyance and difficulty of removal. Several situations involve such substrates, including but not limited to, walking outdoors, cutting wood, repairing furniture, painting, hiking, mowing lawns, cycling, construction, clearing of garbage or environmental hazards, etc.

One example is during the sawing of logs and lumber, especially with an automated or a chain saw. There is frequently the tendency of saw dust and wood particles getting into the boots or onto the socks. The socks and the inside lining of the boots become embedded with saw dust and wood particles. The boots then need intense cleaning in order to get rid of all the dust and the socks tend to absorb small wood particles, which often cannot be removed by ordinary washing, thus destroying the socks.

Another example occurs when mowing lawns or cutting or pruning big bushes. Often very plants grow shedding very prickly, brittle or sticky parts, some even with pods, seeds or tiny leaves, of which fragments tend to end up in the footwear and congregate or clump together. Removal becomes very difficult and time consuming.

The solution, somewhat simple, but nevertheless novel is to use a cover or guard of some form of fabric, which may have various useful properties, which is easily fastened, removed, stain, stick, cling and water resistant and easily cleaned thereafter. Merely wrapping a piece of fabric around the upper ankle and over the top edge of the boot is insufficient when walking and moving, as it can easily fall off. Similarly, a fixed-shaped cover like a sleeve over the boot cannot be easily donned and removed while keeping the boots on.

There is therefore a need for an easily fastenable cover that does not fall off, but is flexible enough to be removed when needed. It need not fasten TO the footwear, but rather merely around the calf like a piece of clothing, such as a ladies garter, or merely a sleeve, that then fits OVER the footwear, in order to protect from any annoying foreign bodies from getting inside one's footwear. Again, it should be flexibly shaped that the form of the footwear is rather immaterial, although it is understood that such a device can only really be useful to fit over closed or sealed footwear.

The material used to create the body of the invention may include, but is not limited to, fabrics of choice, like denim, cotton, polyester, leather, suede, etc., and the fabric piece 1 may be bound by fastening materials like common elastic 2, Velcro 3 and a snap button 4, as shown in FIGS. 1-2. A preferred size used may be 9″×18″, but any appropriate size may be substituted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the Assembled Components of the Invention

FIG. 2 shows the Individual Components of the Invention to Scale

FIG. 3 shows the Invention Spread Out when not in Use and Splayed when in Use

FIG. 4 shows the Invention Fastened on, Covering and Protecting a Wearer's Footwear.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTATION

A preferred embodiment of the fabric guard 1 is fastened around the calf above the boots' edge with an elastic band 2, Velcro hook and loop strips 3 around the opposing edges which join and one button 4, making the seal adjustable as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and flexible enough to adjust to different sized calves as can be deduced from Steps 1-6 of FIG. 4. Once buttoned 4 up at the top, at the opposite ends of the elastic 2 which is sewn to the fabric 1, and is itself tight enough to function hermetically, without the requirement of any air-tight contraption. In fact, the elastic 2 need not be airtight at the top, as it is best for footwear to allow the feet to breathe, but merely needs to be tight enough to serve as a hermetic seal against particulate matter and fluids. The button encloses and secures the two ends of the elastic, allowing an adjustable size. The Velcro 3 for its part secures both the bottom and the side edges. As mentioned, it functions much like sweat pants or a lycra jumpsuit around the waist, or ladies garter around the thighs, simply preventing the ingress of any materials that would constitute an invasive substance.

When a piece of fabric 1 is used which is 18 inches long by 9 inches wide as in FIG. 2, which has elastic 2 sewn to the top, Velcro strips 3 on opposing sides and a button 4 at the top to make an adjustable form, the article takes on the rough form of a lampshade as is seen in FIGS. 1 and 4 step 5, when in use around the ankle or calf. Note that this fabric 1 has many possibilities, both to accommodate a pattern suitable to ladies, men and children, and also to allow advertising or promotional materials. Indeed, various merchants can use their thematic fabric color of choice with a logo imprinted on the side. This allows its use as a mobile ad or promotion for a company when worn by consumers. It should be possible to produce the item inexpensively enough so as to allow its free distribution to customers as a promotional or marketing material.

Additionally, the invention could instead be made from disposable materials and could be sold in boxes of 100 s. Furthermore, in hot climates or in hot summers, where it is more appropriate to wear shorts, this product is particularly useful. 

1. A debris-free device to guard footwear against the introduction of particulate debris, comprising: a flat, flexible member which wraps around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear to cover the footwear; and a fastening means to fasten the flat, flexible member when wrapped snugly around the leg of the wearer.
 2. The debris-free device of claim 1, wherein the fastening means fastens the flat flexible member above the upper edge of the footwear.
 3. The debris-free device of claim 1, wherein the fastening means comprises a button to fasten the top edge of the flat flexible member around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear.
 4. The debris-free device of claim 3, wherein the fastening means further comprises an elastic band reinforcing the top edge of the flat flexible member around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear.
 5. The debris-free device of claim 4, wherein the fastening means further comprises a velcro strip attached to both side edges of the flat flexible member to reinforce and seal it around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear.
 6. The debris-free device of claim 1, wherein the flat flexible member comprises a textile fabric.
 7. The debris-free device of claim 1, wherein the flat flexible member may also be used as a surface for display of communicative content.
 8. A debris-free method of guarding footwear against the introduction of particulate debris, comprising: wrapping a flat, flexible member around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear; and fastening the flat, flexible member when wrapped snugly around the leg of the wearer using a fastening means.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the fastening step comprises fastening the flat flexible member above the upper edge of the footwear.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the fastening step comprises fastening the top edge of the flat flexible member around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear using a button.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the fastening step further comprises reinforcing the top edge of the flat flexible member around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear using an elastic band.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fastening step further comprises attaching a velcro strip to both side edges of the flat flexible member to reinforce and seal it around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein the flat flexible member comprises a textile fabric.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein the flat flexible member may also be used as a surface for display of communicative content.
 15. A debris-free system to guard footwear against the introduction of particulate debris, comprising: a flat, flexible component for wrapping around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear to cover the footwear; and a fastening component for fastening the flat, flexible member when wrapped snugly around the leg of the wearer.
 16. The debris-free system of claim 15, wherein the fastening component fastens the flat flexible component above the upper edge of the footwear.
 17. The debris-free system of claim 15, wherein the fastening component comprises a button to fasten the top edge of the flat flexible component around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear.
 18. The debris-free system of claim 17, wherein the fastening component further comprises an elastic band reinforcing the top edge of the flat flexible component around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear.
 19. The debris-free system of claim 18, wherein the fastening component further comprises a velcro strip attached to both side edges of the flat flexible component to reinforce and seal it around the lower leg of the wearer of the footwear.
 20. The debris-free system of claim 15, wherein the flat flexible component comprises a textile fabric. 